Newshttp://newsroom.virginaustralia.com/news
enVirgin Australia re-times flights for footy fans on AFL Grand Final Dayhttp://newsroom.virginaustralia.com/release/virgin-australia-re-times-flights-footy-fans-afl-grand-final-day
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<img typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://newsroom.virginaustralia.com/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/AFL%20Cup%20-%20Team.jpg" width="780" height="400" /> </div>
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<ul>
<li>
Re-times flight schedule on Grand Final Day</li>
<li>
Adds thousands of extra seats across Grand Final Week</li>
<li>
Launches lounge promotions and giveaways</li>
</ul>
<p>As the official airline of the AFL, Virgin Australia has gone into full-blown footy finals fever, announcing a number of initiatives which will run over the next three weeks culminating on Grand Final Day.</p>
<p>The airline&rsquo;s flight schedule from major Australian cities on AFL Grand Final Day has been rescheduled ensuring fans can soak up the action at the MCG and be home in time for supper.</p>
<p>Flights to and from Melbourne from Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Coolangatta, Darwin, Hobart, Launceston, Sydney and Perth have all been altered to accommodate same-day travel on 30 September.</p>
<p>Virgin Australia has also increased the number of flights across Grand Final Week, ensuring more fans can travel and cheer their team on. An extra 2,500 seats are already on sale across Grand Final Week, while an additional return Airbus A330 service has been scheduled between Adelaide and Melbourne on Grand Final Day. Virgin Australia will monitor demand over the Finals Series and will look for other opportunities to support fans with more flights.</p>
<p>Virgin Australia Chief Marketing Officer Inese Kingsmill said: &ldquo;The 2017 AFL Finals Series is upon us with the GWS Giants taking on Port Adelaide tonight, and we are so excited to support the teams and the fans throughout September.</p>
<p>&ldquo;We know how passionate AFL fans are so by retiming our flight schedule and adding seats throughout Grand Final Week, we can ensure as many supporters as possible can travel to Melbourne for the big day,&rdquo; Ms Kingsmill said.</p>
<p>Across the next three weeks, Virgin Australia Domestic Lounges in Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Perth will also come alive with finals fever, serving Carlton Draught on tap and hot meat pies on a &lsquo;Sherrin&rsquo; napkin to get lounge guests into the footy spirit.</p>
<p>Anyone travelling through the Sydney, Melbourne and Perth Lounges is also eligible to enter the ultimate trip to the AFL Grand Final, with return flights, two nights&rsquo; accommodation at Crown Metropol, airport transfers, VIP tent access and reserved seating to watch the game up for grabs , thanks to Carlton United Breweries.</p>
<p>Virgin Australia&rsquo;s AFL Travel platform is offering fans a simple travel solution with flights, accommodation and reserved match ticket packages as well as giving fans the opportunity to secure premium hospitality tickets for the ultimate match day experience. All 2017 Toyota AFL Finals bookings made through the Virgin Australia AFL Travel platform will automatically go into the draw to win a Grand Final experience. Book now at <a href="http://www.afltravel.com.au/finals">www.afltravel.com.au/finals</a></p>
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Thu, 07 Sep 2017 07:50:57 +0000Virgin Australia839 at http://newsroom.virginaustralia.comVirgin Australia to fly daily between Melbourne and Hong Konghttp://newsroom.virginaustralia.com/release/virgin-australia-fly-daily-between-melbourne-and-hong-kong
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<p>Virgin Australia today announced it will increase flights to Hong Kong, moving to daily return services between Melbourne and Hong Kong from 12 November 2017.</p>
<p>From 12 November 2017, VA87 will depart Melbourne late morning/midday each day. VA86 will depart Hong Kong each evening and arrive in Melbourne the next morning.</p>
<p>The new schedule is on sale today at <a href="http://www.virginaustralia.com">www.virginaustralia.com</a> and is listed below.</p>
<p>Acting Group Executive of Virgin Australia Airlines Rob Sharp said: &ldquo;Hong Kong is a very important part of our strategy for Asia. We&rsquo;re thrilled to be able to offer travellers a daily schedule of flights to Hong Kong. Whether you&rsquo;re travelling for business, on holiday or visiting family and friends, it&rsquo;s fantastic to have the choice of flights every day of the week.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Our schedule is also conveniently timed, enabling guests travelling from Australia to arrive early evening in Hong Kong and those travelling from Hong Kong to arrive in Melbourne in the morning. It also enables travellers to connect easily to other destinations in Australia and China, through our partner Hong Kong Airlines.</p>
<p>&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve already had great feedback from guests on our first-ever services to Hong Kong and we believe this will help us create an even more rewarding experience for travellers,&rdquo; Mr Sharp added.</p>
<p>Virgin Australia operates Airbus A330-200 aircraft between Melbourne &ndash; Hong Kong, featuring &lsquo;The Business&rsquo;, which was named Best Business Class at the Airline Ratings &lsquo;Airline of the Year&rsquo; awards for 2017. The aircraft also feature eight Economy X seats that offer additional legroom, Premium check-in and boarding, preferred overhead locker space, guaranteed first meal choice and premium noise-cancelling headsets.</p>
<p>
<strong>Virgin Australia Schedule Between Melbourne and Hong Kong from 12 November 2017</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1">
<tr>
<td>
Flight No.</td>
<td>
Route</td>
<td>
Dep/Arr</td>
<td>
Day of the Week</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
VA87</td>
<td>
MEL-HKG</td>
<td>
1100/1735<br />
1130/1805<br />
1240/1915</td>
<td>
Mon, Tues, Wed, Thu, Sat<br />
Sun<br />
Fri</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
VA86</td>
<td>
HKG-MEL</td>
<td>
1950/0815(+1)<br />
1955/0820(+1)<br />
2045/0910(+1)</td>
<td>
Mon, Tues, Wed, Thu, Sat<br />
Sun<br />
Fri</td>
</tr>
</table>
<p> <em>All times local</em></p>
</div>
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Wed, 06 Sep 2017 14:00:00 +0000Virgin Australia838 at http://newsroom.virginaustralia.comVirgin Australia confirms plans to fly to Samoahttp://newsroom.virginaustralia.com/release/virgin-australia-confirms-plans-fly-samoa
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<p>Virgin Australia today confirmed its plans to fly to Samoa&nbsp; from 13 November 2017, following the determination issued by the International Air Services Commission that allocates capacity on the route to support the new services. With the Virgin Samoa joint venture services due to cease on 12 November, the commencement of flights by Virgin Australia will ensure there is no disruption in services between Australia and Samoa.</p>
<p>Subject to relevant regulatory approvals, Virgin Australia will operate five return services per week from Auckland to Apia, up to two return services per week from Sydney to Apia, and up to two services per week from Brisbane to Apia. These services are now on sale.</p>
<p>Virgin Australia General Manager Network and Revenue Management Russell Shaw said: &ldquo;We are excited to enhance connections to Samoa through flights with Virgin Australia.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Samoa is an important tourist destination and since the Virgin brand commenced flying there in 2005 we have carried more than 1.4 million guests between Australia, New Zealand and Samoa. We want to continue to support Samoa and provide valuable tourism opportunities to the Samoan economy. We look forward to receiving approval from the Samoan Government to commence these operations,&rdquo; Mr Shaw said.</p>
<p>The flights will be operated with Boeing 737-800 aircraft, featuring eight luxurious Business Class seats in a 2-2 configuration and 168 in Economy in a 3-3 configuration. The aircraft also features 30 Economy X seats with additional legroom, preferred overhead locker space, priority check-in and boarding.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Virgin Australia Schedule to Apia*</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1">
<tr>
<td>
<strong>Route</strong></td>
<td>
<strong>Flight Number</strong></td>
<td>
<strong>Depart/ Arrive</strong></td>
<td>
<strong>Days of the week</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
AKL-APW</td>
<td>
VA73</td>
<td>
1625/2120</td>
<td>
Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri, Sat</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
BNE-APW</td>
<td>
VA93</td>
<td>
2025/0525 (+1)</td>
<td>
Sat</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
SYD-APW</td>
<td>
VA97</td>
<td>
2100/0530 (+1)</td>
<td>
Tue, Fri</td>
</tr>
</table>
<p>Virgin Australia Schedule from Apia*</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1">
<tr>
<td>
Route</td>
<td>
Flight Number</td>
<td>
Depart/ Arrive</td>
<td>
Days of the week</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
APW-AKL</td>
<td>
VA70<br />
VA70<br />
VA74</td>
<td>
0700/1005<br />
0940/1245<br />
2220/0125 (+1)</td>
<td>
Sat<br />
Wed, Sun<br />
Mon, Thu</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
APW-BNE</td>
<td>
VA92</td>
<td>
0945/1135</td>
<td>
Sat</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
APW-SYD</td>
<td>
VA78</td>
<td>
0625/0945</td>
<td>
Wed, Sun</td>
</tr>
</table>
<p>
*Schedule is reflective for Nov-17.&nbsp; Schedule is subject to change due to seasonal variations</p>
</div>
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Thu, 31 Aug 2017 14:00:00 +0000Virgin Australia837 at http://newsroom.virginaustralia.comBlues to soar with Virgin Australia for next five yearshttp://newsroom.virginaustralia.com/release/blues-soar-virgin-australia-next-five-years
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<p>Securing its second, long-term co-major partner in 2017, Carlton Football Club is delighted to announce a five-year partnership with Virgin Australia.</p>
<p> Virgin Australia becomes the Blues&rsquo; co-major partner and official airline partner through to at least the end of 2022.</p>
<p>Virgin Australia has been a platinum partner of the Carlton Football Club for the past three seasons, and earlier in the year signed as interim co-major partner.</p>
<p>In an Australian-first, the announcement was made on Friday morning by Carlton captain Marc Murphy to passengers on flight VA827 Melbourne to Sydney and streamed live through the Carlton Football Club&rsquo;s digital channels using Virgin Australia&rsquo;s in-flight Wi-Fi.</p>
<p> Carlton President Mark LoGiudice praised Virgin Australia&rsquo;s strong relationship with the Club and said the Blues were delighted to have secured the partnership with one of Australia&rsquo;s most recognisable organisations.</p>
<p> &ldquo;We are delighted to have broadened our partnership with Virgin Australia and to be sharing our growth with such a trusted and respected brand like Virgin Australia is incredibly exciting,&rdquo; LoGiudice said.</p>
<p> &ldquo;It&rsquo;s been a terrific period for our Club as we&rsquo;ve secured two major partners in recent weeks on long-term agreements. We believe this speaks volumes about the direction we&rsquo;re heading in as a football club and we thank both Virgin Australia and Hyundai Motor Company Australia for their continued support.</p>
<p> &ldquo;As they do for the entire AFL, Virgin Australia will continue to support our team in arriving ready when travelling interstate with their dedicated, premium service and staff on all flights.</p>
<p> &ldquo;Virgin Australia have been an incredibly loyal partner of the Club and their commitment reflects the strong relationship between both organisations. Virgin Australia are joining us at an exciting time for the Club and we look forward to providing great opportunities for our members and supporters.&rdquo;</p>
<p> Virgin Australia Airlines Acting Chief Executive Officer Rob Sharp said: &ldquo;The Carlton Football Club is a powerful and dynamic organisation with a strong corporate community and we are excited about the prospect of two strong brands aligning for a five-year partnership.</p>
<p> &ldquo;This partnership will continue to drive strong brand exposure for both organisations and we are thrilled to be a major partner of Carlton as we continue to broaden our commitment with both the AFL and its clubs.</p>
<p> &ldquo;We know we are joining the Blues at an exciting time for the Club as they go from strength-to-strength both on and off the field and we look forward to the next five years in partnership together.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>
<p> Virgin Australia will retain the front space on the Club&rsquo;s away guernseys, as well as all major branding assets across the Club&rsquo;s AFL program. Virgin Australia will also retain naming rights to all of Carlton&rsquo;s premium match day hospitality events including the President&rsquo;s Club by Virgin Australia and the Virgin Australia Carlton Lounge.</p>
<p> Virgin Australia also becomes the co-naming rights partner to Carlton&rsquo;s renowned and prestigious IN Business program, and will continue to partner with Carlton Media productions including &lsquo;The Journey&rsquo; and &lsquo;Bloodlines.&rsquo;</p>
<p> Virgin Australia will continue to bring the brand to life for Carlton supporters as they did in Round 19 this season, sending a row of supporters at Etihad Stadium to Hong Kong in a unique match day experience.</p>
<p> Carlton&rsquo;s announcement with Virgin Australia follows a number of recent partnership deals for the Club in 2017, with Hyundai Motor Company Australia signing on as co-major partner for a further five years, as well as partnerships with Carlton &amp; United Breweries, Ontime Group and Ikon Services.</p>
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Fri, 25 Aug 2017 04:11:51 +0000Virgin Australia836 at http://newsroom.virginaustralia.comVirgin Australia Welcomes ACCC Approval of Landmark Alliance with HNA Aviation, Hong Kong Airlines and HK Express http://newsroom.virginaustralia.com/release/virgin-australia-welcomes-accc-approval-landmark-alliance-hna-aviation-hong-kong-airlines
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<p>Virgin Australia Holdings Limited (ASX: VAH) (Virgin Australia Group) today welcomed the final decision of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to authorise Virgin Australia&rsquo;s strategic alliance with HNA Aviation, Hong Kong Airlines and HK Express for a five year term. This decision follows the ACCC&rsquo;s decision to grant draft authorisation for the alliance in June 2017.</p>
<p>Virgin Australia Group CEO and Managing Director John Borghetti said: &ldquo;We are delighted that the ACCC has decided to authorise this alliance. HNA Aviation, Hong Kong Airlines and HK Express are very well regarded in the aviation industry and we are excited to work closely with them to give travellers between Australia, Hong Kong and mainland China more choice and better value.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Travellers are already embracing the benefits offered by the alliance, including the direct Melbourne &ndash; Hong Kong services that Virgin Australia launched last month. We look forward to working with our partners to strengthen the important tourism and trade connections between Australia, Hong Kong and mainland China and bring more travellers to Australia,&rdquo; Mr Borghetti said.</p>
<p>Virgin Australia and its alliance partners have commenced the first stage of the alliance with the launch of:<br />
&bull; Virgin Australia&rsquo;s direct, five-times weekly return services between Melbourne and Hong Kong;<br />
&bull; a codeshare partnership between Virgin Australia and Hong Kong Airlines that offers codeshare connectivity to 11 destinations across their flight networks1;<br />
&bull; an interline agreement between Virgin Australia and Hong Kong Airlines that enables guests travelling from Australia to Hong Kong to easily book onward travel to 10 destinations in mainland China; and<br />
&bull; a reciprocal partnership between Velocity Frequent Flyer and Fortune Wings Club, the loyalty program of Hong Kong Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Capital Airlines and Tianjin Airlines, that gives members of both loyalty programs the opportunity to earn points and status recognition on eligible routes across the airlines&rsquo; flight networks .<br />
Under the second stage of the alliance, Virgin Australia is exploring the introduction of new direct services between Australia and China. The alliance partners also plan to continue to expand their codeshare and interline arrangements to provide travellers with convenient and comprehensive access to their domestic networks and to flights between Australia and mainland China. Velocity Frequent Flyer and Fortune Wings Club will soon offer further benefits through their reciprocal agreement, including lounge access, priority check in, priority boarding and additional baggage and the ability to redeem frequent flyer points.1</p>
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Thu, 10 Aug 2017 00:27:42 +0000Virgin Australia835 at http://newsroom.virginaustralia.comVirgin Australia Holdings Limited (ASX: VAH) FY17 Resultshttp://newsroom.virginaustralia.com/release/virgin-australia-holdings-limited-asx-vah-fy17-results
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<p><strong>Virgin Australia Holdings Limited (ASX: VAH) FY17 Results: Stronger Cash and Balance Sheet, Statutory and Underlying Loss, Outlook Improving<sup>1</sup>&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p><strong>Summary of FY17 Financial Outcomes</strong><br />
&bull; Group Underlying Loss Before Tax of $3.7 million &ndash; with a significant improvement in performance in Q4 FY17, up $38.4 million on Q4 FY16<br />
&bull; Group Statutory Loss After Tax of $185.8 million &ndash; an improvement of $38.9 million on FY16, impacted by restructuring charges predominantly from the Better Business program<br />
&bull; Positive Free Cash Flow of $34.3 million &ndash; an improvement of $126.4 million on FY16<br />
&bull; Closing total cash balance of $1,396.1 million as at 30 June &ndash; an improvement of $272.3 million on end of FY16<br />
&bull; Net Debt reduction of $839.0 million &ndash; including $260.0 million in accelerated debt repayments<br />
&bull; Financial Leverage improvement of 14.1 per cent on 30 June 2016 to 4.5x at 30 June 2017<br />
&bull; Better Business program implementation ahead of schedule. Savings target increased to $350 million per annum in annualised net free cash flow savings by the end of FY19<br />
&bull; Outlook for FY18: Given underlying performance improvement in Q4 and based on current market conditions, the positive momentum seen in Q4 FY17 is expected to continue and underlying performance for Q1 FY18 is expected to improve compared to Q1 FY17. The Group also expects the Better Business program to continue to track ahead of schedule in implementation and expects further balance sheet improvements to be delivered.</p>
<p><strong>&nbsp;FY17 Segment Outcomes</strong></p>
<p>&bull; Virgin Australia Domestic Q4 FY17 underlying performance improved compared to Q4 FY16, with overall FY17 Underlying EBIT performance of $92.9 million, impacted by subdued trading conditions.</p>
<ul>
<li>
&nbsp;Disciplined domestic capacity management with 5.9 per cent decline in sectors flown</li>
<li>
&nbsp;Led major competitor in domestic On Time Performance for the past three financial years</li>
</ul>
<p>&bull; Virgin Australia International business profitable, delivering $49.3 million improvement in Underlying EBIT as well as yield and RASK growth<br />
&bull; Tigerair Australia domestic operations profitable, overall Tigerair Australia underlying performance (including international) impacted by Bali operations<br />
&bull; Velocity Underlying EBIT performance improved 2.2 per cent on FY16, with business significantly exceeding its FY17 membership target to reach 8 million members by 30 June 2017<br />
&bull; Achieved &lsquo;Best Airline&rsquo; and &lsquo;Best Airline Staff&rsquo; in the Australia/Pacific region at the World Airline Awards, &lsquo;Best Business Class&rsquo; at the Airline Ratings &lsquo;Airline of the Year&rsquo; awards and &lsquo;Best Domestic Airline&rsquo; at the National Travel Industry Awards<br />
&bull; Following customer testing period in FY17, Virgin Australia to rollout inflight wireless internet to its Boeing 737, Boeing 777 and Airbus A330 fleets.</p>
<p><strong>FY17 Results Commentary</strong></p>
<p>10 August 2017: Virgin Australia Group Chief Executive Officer John Borghetti said: &ldquo;Throughout the 2017 financial year, the Virgin Australia Group maintained a strong focus on improving its balance sheet which is yielding positive results. Today, we reported the first positive free cash flow result since the 2012 financial year and the Group&rsquo;s highest reported cash balance as at 30 June. We have also delivered a 40.0 per cent improvement in Financial Leverage compared to the end of the 2014 financial year following an $839 million reduction in Net Debt.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The Group also concluded the first year of our three year Better Business program, which is designed to reduce our cost base, enhance our cash flow and improve our capital position. I am pleased to report that we are ahead of schedule with the program&rsquo;s implementation and today I can announce that we are increasing the savings target for the program. The program is now on track to deliver $350 million per year in annualised net free cash flow savings by the end of the 2019 financial year, a $50 million per annum increase on the original savings target.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p><em><strong>Group underlying and statutory performance</strong></em></p>
<p> &ldquo;The Group&rsquo;s underlying performance for the 2017 financial year was affected by subdued domestic trading conditions and the impact of fleet simplification.</p>
<p>&ldquo;However, in line with our previous guidance, we are beginning to see some positive results in our underlying performance, with the Group&rsquo;s underlying performance for the fourth quarter of the 2017 financial year improving by $38.4 million on the prior corresponding period.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The Group&rsquo;s statutory result was impacted by restructuring charges predominantly from the Better Business program. While there are upfront costs associated with implementing the program, it will deliver significant, long-term cash flow savings.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong><em>Segment performance</em></strong></p>
<p> &ldquo;Virgin Australia Domestic&rsquo;s performance was impacted by subdued trading conditions including reduced demand for regional travel and for corporate travel. We managed capacity prudently in response to these conditions, with sectors flown declining by 5.9 per cent on the prior financial year. Pleasingly, the underlying performance of Virgin Australia Domestic improved in the fourth quarter of the financial year in comparison to the prior corresponding period.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Virgin Australia International was profitable for the 2017 financial year, a result supported by growth in yield and unit revenue. These positive outcomes have been driven by the international improvement strategy that the Group commenced two years ago.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Tigerair Australia&rsquo;s domestic operations were also profitable, with the business delivering passenger and unit revenue growth. Tigerair&rsquo;s overall underlying performance, including international operations, was impacted by the launch and withdrawal of operations to Denpasar (Bali).</p>
<p>&ldquo;Velocity continued on its growth trajectory, significantly exceeding its 2017 financial year membership target to reach over eight million members. This is an exceptional achievement, with the program now counting the equivalent of one in three Australians as members. Velocity also improved its underlying profitability this year and forged a number of important new partnerships, including deals with Flybuys, Energy Australia and Bupa.</p>
<p><em><strong>Excellence in customer experience, product and network</strong></em></p>
<p> &ldquo;Throughout the 2017 financial year, the Virgin Australia Group continued to bring strong competition to all parts of the Australian aviation industry. In particular, we have worked to ensure that we offer differentiated and rewarding travel experiences that will continue to attract customers across every segment of the aviation market. Virgin Australia made significant progress on connecting Australia and Greater China by launching the sale of direct services to Hong Kong in March 2017 and commencing our proposed alliance with HNA&rsquo;s aviation businesses. Virgin Australia also expanded operations to the United States market, with the launch of Melbourne &ndash; Los Angeles flights in April 2017.&nbsp;</p>
<p>&ldquo;The business also remained focused on improving the customer experience, with the launch of game-changing initiatives such as EconomyX, which has been very well received by customers and is yielding revenue growth for the company. Meanwhile, Tigerair Australia continued to grow its position in the low cost travel market by expanding its domestic network to a number of new destinations and introducing customer experience enhancements including mobile boarding passes and the completion of the T4 terminal at Melbourne Airport. Going forward, the Virgin Australia Group will continue to bring choice and innovation to travellers, and I am pleased to announce today that we will roll out inflight wireless internet to Virgin Australia&rsquo;s Boeing 737, Boeing 777 and Airbus A330 fleets.&nbsp;</p>
<p>&ldquo;I would like to sincerely thank our people for their unwavering focus on delivering a rewarding experience for our customers, while ensuring we meet our Better Business program targets. Their passion and dedication has seen the Group recognised on the world stage, with Virgin Australia named as the &lsquo;Best Airline&rsquo; and in the Australia/Pacific region at the World Airline Awards this year. Virgin Australia&rsquo;s staff were also named as &lsquo;Best Airline Staff&rsquo; in the Australia/Pacific region at those awards, the fifth time in six years that they have received this accolade.</p>
<p><em><strong>Focus and outlook for the 2018 financial year</strong></em></p>
<p> &ldquo;As we move into the 2018 financial year, we will remain firmly focused on continuing the strong momentum of the Better Business program to deliver sustainable cash flow savings. We will also consolidate the position we have established in the domestic market, manage capacity in response to demand, and leverage opportunities in the growing Asian and North American markets. Ensuring that we continue to deliver a safe and rewarding travel experience to all of our guests is central to achieving this. It is also important that we continue to strengthen our financial foundation by continuing the positive trajectory on cash, further reducing debt and improving leverage. These actions will support future earnings growth and the delivery of long-term value for all of our shareholders.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Given underlying performance improvements in the fourth quarter of the 2017 financial year and based on current market conditions, we expect the positive momentum seen in the fourth quarter to continue and that underlying performance for the first quarter of the 2018 financial year will improve compared to the first quarter of the 2017 financial year.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Group also expects the Better Business program to continue to track ahead of schedule in implementation and expects further balance sheet improvements to be delivered,&rdquo; Mr Borghetti said.</p>
<p><strong>Group-wide Financial Results</strong></p>
<p><em><strong>Revenue and costs</strong></em><br />
Group revenue was $5,047.3 million, an improvement of $26.3 million on the 2016 financial year.</p>
<p>Group Cost per Available Seat Kilometre increased by 2.2 per cent on the 2016 financial year as a consequence of costs associated with fleet simplification and reduction in capacity to meet subdued trading conditions.</p>
<p><em><strong>Restructuring charges</strong></em><br />
The Group&rsquo;s statutory result for the 2017 financial year was impacted by restructuring charges predominantly related to the Better Business program, with the majority of charges related to fleet restructuring, fleet impairments and organisational rightsizing.</p>
<p><em><strong>Update on Better Business program</strong></em><br />
Progress on the implementation of the Better Business program in the 2017 financial year included:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />
&bull; 5 per cent reduction in operating fleet with capacity maintained through improved utilisation of aircraft;<br />
&bull; the sale of 10 E190 aircraft and lease return of 2 E190 aircraft<sup>2</sup>;<br />
&bull; a wind down of E190 operations, which are due to cease at the end of the 2017 calendar year;<br />
&bull; a reduction in ATR operations and identification of up to eight ATR aircraft to be removed from fleet;<br />
&bull; renegotiation of a number of Boeing 737 leases on more favourable terms;<br />
&bull; optimisation of domestic and international flight networks, including the exit of loss-making routes including Abu Dhabi;<br />
&bull; implementation of additional&nbsp; fuel saving initiatives;<br />
&bull; implementation of efficiencies in maintenance including installation of carbon brakes and onshoring of maintenance services; and<br />
&bull; organisational rightsizing.</p>
<p><em><strong>Fuel and foreign currency</strong></em><br />
For the 2018 financial year, the Group is highly hedged against adverse movements in fuel prices and foreign exchange rates while maintaining reasonable participation in favourable movements.</p>
<p><strong>Segment performance</strong></p>
<p><strong>Virgin Australia Domestic</strong></p>
<p>Virgin Australia Domestic&rsquo;s revenue and yield performance were impacted by subdued trading conditions. The business exercised disciplined capacity management in response, with sectors flown declining by 5.9 per cent on the prior financial year. Yield declined by 1.5 per cent and RASK declined by 0.2 per cent compared to the 2016 financial year. Underlying EBIT for Virgin Australia Domestic was $92.9 million.</p>
<p>However, the underlying performance of Virgin Australia Domestic in the fourth quarter of the financial year showed improvement compared to the prior corresponding period.</p>
<p>Throughout the year, the Virgin Australia Group continued to enhance and differentiate its domestic customer experience. The business introduced EconomyX, an extra legroom seating product that is unique to the Australian aviation market and is delivering revenue growth with a strong penetration among guests. Virgin Australia Domestic was the most on time major domestic airline in the 2017 financial year and has now led its major competitor in On Time Performance for the past three financial years.</p>
<p><strong>Virgin Australia International</strong><br />
Virgin Australia International reported a profitable Underlying EBIT result of $0.5 million, in line with 2017 financial year targets and a $49.3 million improvement on the 2016 financial year. Virgin Australia International&rsquo;s RASK grew by 1.4 per cent and Yield grew by 2.1 per cent on the previous year.</p>
<p>These outcomes are the result of the international improvement strategy that has been implemented over the past two years. During this period, Virgin Australia International has withdrawn from the loss-making markets of Phuket, some routes to Denpasar (Bali) and Abu Dhabi and expanded to growth markets by commencing Melbourne&ndash;Los Angeles services in April 2017 and Melbourne&ndash;Hong Kong services in July 2017. The airline also completed the rollout of its award-winning business class product on the Boeing 777 fleet, which supported yield and unit revenue improvement.</p>
<p><strong>Tigerair Australia</strong><br />
Tigerair Australia reported an Underlying EBIT loss of $24.3 million, representing a decline of $26.5 million on the 2016 financial year. This result was impacted by the costs associated with the launch and withdrawal of flights to Denpasar (Bali). Excluding the impact of the Denpasar operations, the underlying performance of Tigerair&rsquo;s domestic operations was profitable in line with 2017 financial year targets.</p>
<p>Passengers carried by Tigerair grew by 10.7 per cent and RASK grew by 3.6 per cent on the prior financial year. Passenger growth outpaced Available Seat Kilometre growth of 10.2 per cent. Tigerair&rsquo;s capacity growth over the year was driven by operations to Denpasar and the comparative impact of the addition of a fourteenth Airbus A320 aircraft.</p>
<p>Tigerair Australia was the most on time low cost carrier in the 2017 financial year and has now led its major competitor in On Time Performance for the past three financial years.</p>
<p><strong>Velocity</strong><br />
Velocity reported revenue of $371.0 million, a 13.2 per cent increase on the 2016 financial year. Velocity&rsquo;s underlying performance in the first half of the year was impacted by investment in technology, new partnerships and internal resources to position the business for future growth. However, Underlying EBIT performance in the second half improved on the first half, with Velocity delivering a full year Underlying EBIT performance improvement of 2.2 per cent compared to the prior financial year.</p>
<p>Velocity&rsquo;s growth in membership was supported by an average daily join rate of 4689 people across the 2017 financial year. Velocity continued to add earning and redemption partners for a diverse portfolio of more than 400 brands.</p>
<p>In April 2017, Velocity was awarded &lsquo;Best Redemption Ability&rsquo; in the Middle East and Asia/Oceania region for the fifth consecutive year at the 2017 Freddie Awards. Velocity was also awarded &lsquo;Best Elite Program&rsquo; in the Middle East and Asia/Oceania region.</p>
<p><strong>Rollout of inflight wireless internet</strong></p>
<p>Further information on the rollout of inflight wireless internet across Virgin Australia&rsquo;s fleet is available in the separate media release issued today.</p>
<p>Notes:<br />
(1) Operating statistics are issued on a preliminary basis and are subject to change. Any adjustments made will flow through to the year to date results.&nbsp;<br />
(2) Revenue Passenger Kilometres or RPKs is a non-statutory measure derived from the number of paying passengers multiplied by the number of kilometres flown on Virgin Australia or Tigerair Australia operated flights.<br />
(3) Available Seat Kilometres or ASKs is a non-statutory measure derived from total number of seats available for passengers multiplied by the number of kilometres flown on Virgin Australia or Tigerair Australia operated flights.<br />
(4) Revenue Load Factor is a non-statutory measure derived from RPKs as a percentage of ASKs.</p>
<p><strong>Disclaimer</strong></p>
<p>The non-IFRS information defined below has not been audited or reviewed by KPMG.</p>
<p> This document has not been audited or reviewed by KPMG; however, IFRS data has been derived from the unaudited annual consolidated financial statements that are in the process of being audited by KPMG.<br />
Definitions</p>
<p><strong>Virgin Australia Domestic:</strong> Please refer to the Group&rsquo;s ASX Appendix 4E and Preliminary Final Report for the financial year ended 30 June 2017 for the definition of this term.&nbsp;<br />
<strong>Virgin Australia International:</strong> Please refer to the Group&rsquo;s ASX Appendix 4E and Preliminary Final Report for the financial year ended 30 June 2017 for the definition of this term.&nbsp;<br />
<strong>Tigerair Australia:</strong> Please refer to the Group&rsquo;s ASX Appendix 4E and Preliminary Final Report for the financial year ended 30 June 2017 for the definition of this term.&nbsp;<br />
<strong>On Time Performance:</strong> Reflects data from Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE) about the percentage of all VA, TT, QF and JQ designated services flown in Australia from July 2014 to June 2017 inclusive that departed within 15 minutes of scheduled departure times.<br />
<strong>Underlying Profit / (Loss) Before Tax:</strong> is a non-statutory measure that represents statutory profit / (loss) before tax excluding the impact of impairment losses on assets classified as held for sale, impairment losses on other assets, onerous contract expenses, business and capital restructure and transaction costs (as defined below), share of net profits of equity-accounted investee and the impact of hedging and financial instruments (as defined below). This is a measure used by Management and Board of Virgin Australia Holdings Limited (VAH) to assess the financial performance of VAH.<br />
<strong>Underlying Performance:</strong>&nbsp; is a non-statutory measure that refers to earnings or returns calculated based on Underlying Profit / (Loss) Before Tax (as defined above).&nbsp;<br />
<strong>Business and capital restructure and transaction costs:</strong> is a non-statutory measure that includes business and capital restructure and transaction costs.<br />
<strong>Hedging and financial instruments:</strong> is a non-statutory measure that includes the following items outlined in Note 2 of the VAH Preliminary Final Report. For the year ended 30 June 2017: time value movement on cash flow hedges (loss of $43.5m), unrealised ineffectiveness on cash flow hedges and non-designated derivatives (gain of $0.7m). For the year ended 30 June 2016, this item includes: time value movement on cash flow hedges (loss of $28.5m) and unrealised ineffectiveness on cash flow hedges and non-designated derivatives (gain of $0.7m).</p>
<p><strong>Underlying Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation, Amortisation and Aircraft Rentals (EBITDAR):</strong> is a non-statutory measure per Note 2 of the VAH Preliminary Final Report for the year ended 30 June 2017. It is used by Management and VAH&rsquo;s Board as a measure to assess the financial performance of VAH and its individual segments. It is defined as Underlying Profit / (Loss) Before Tax (as defined above) excluding the impact of depreciation, amortisation, aircraft rentals and net finance costs.<br />
<strong>Underlying Earnings Before Interest &amp; Tax or Underlying EBIT:</strong> is a non-statutory measure per Note 2 of the VAH Preliminary Final Report for the year ended 30 June 2017. It is used by Management and VAH&rsquo;s Board as a measure to assess the financial performance of VAH and its individual segments. It is defined as Underlying Profit / (Loss) Before Tax (as defined above) excluding the impact of net finance costs.<br />
<strong>Underlying Earnings Before Interest &amp; Tax Margin or Underlying EBIT Margin:</strong> is a non-statutory measure derived from Underlying Earnings Before Interest &amp; Tax (as defined above) divided by total segment revenue.<br />
<strong>Free Cash Flow: </strong>is a non-statutory measure derived from cash generated from operating activities (excluding finance costs and finance income) less cash payments for business restructuring expenses less net cash used in investing activities less equity distributions paid to non-controlling interests.<br />
<strong>RASK:</strong> is a non-statutory measure derived from segment revenue normalised for Cargo operations on a consistent basis divided by Available Seat Kilometres (defined above) of the regular passenger transport business.<br />
<strong>Group Cost per Available Seat Kilometre or Group CASK: </strong>is a non-statutory measure derived from consolidated segment revenue less consolidated segment Underlying EBIT (as defined above) excluding fuel, hedging gains / (losses) on fuel, Velocity Frequent Flyer (VFF) segment costs, foreign exchange gains / (losses) on non-fuel costs and normalising for Cargo operations on a consistent basis divided by Available Seat Kilometres (defined above) of the regular passenger transport business.&nbsp; Group CASK is reported on a sector length adjusted basis.&nbsp;<br />
<strong>Yield:</strong> is a non-statutory measure derived from segment revenue normalised for Cargo operations on a consistent basis divided by Revenue Passenger Kilometres of the regular passenger transport business.&nbsp;<br />
<strong>Financial Leverage:</strong> is a non-statutory measure and is defined as the ratio of Adjusted Net Debt (as defined below) to EBITDAR (as defined above).<br />
<strong>Adjusted Net Debt:</strong> is a non-statutory measure derived from Net Debt (as defined below) adding 7 times annual aircraft rentals.<br />
<strong>Net Debt:</strong> is a non-statutory measure derived from interest bearing liabilities less cash and cash equivalents.<br />
<strong>Forward Looking Statements:</strong>&nbsp; This document contains certain forward looking statements.&nbsp; Forward looking statements can generally be identified by the use of words such as &lsquo;project&rsquo;, &lsquo;foresee&rsquo;, &lsquo;plan&rsquo;, &lsquo;expect&rsquo;, &lsquo;aim&rsquo;, &lsquo;potential&rsquo;, &lsquo;goal&rsquo;, &lsquo;target&rsquo;, &lsquo;intend&rsquo;, &lsquo;anticipate&rsquo;, &lsquo;believe&rsquo;, &lsquo;estimate&rsquo;, &lsquo;may&rsquo;, &lsquo;could&rsquo;, &lsquo;should&rsquo;, &lsquo;will&rsquo; or similar expressions.&nbsp; Indications of, and guidance on, future earnings and financial position and performance are also forward looking statements.&nbsp; Forward looking statements, opinions and estimates provided in this document involve a number of risks, assumptions and contingencies, many of which are beyond the Virgin Australia Group&rsquo;s control and which are subject to change without notice, as are statements about market and industry trends, which are based on interpretations of current market conditions.&nbsp; It is believed that the expectations reflected in these forward looking statements, opinions and estimates are reasonable, but there can be no assurance that actual outcomes will not differ materially from these statements.&nbsp; Such forward looking statements, opinions and estimates are provided as a general guide only, should not be relied on as an indication or guarantee of future performance and speak only as of the date of this announcement.&nbsp; You should not place undue reliance on forward looking statements.<br />
No representation or warranty, express or implied, is made as to the fairness, accuracy, completeness or correctness, likelihood of achievement or reasonableness of any of the information, forward looking statements, opinions and estimates contained in this document.&nbsp; To the maximum extent permitted by law, none of the Virgin Australia Group, its directors, employees or agents, nor any other person accepts any liability for any loss arising from the use of the information contained in this document.&nbsp; Except as required by law and ASX Listing Rules, the Virgin Australia Group has no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward looking statement, opinion or estimate as a result of new information, future events or other factors.<br />
Nothing contained in this document constitutes investment, legal, tax or other advice.&nbsp; You should make your own assessment and take independent professional advice in relation to the information contained in this document and any action taken on the basis of that information.</p>
<p><strong>ASIC guidance</strong><br />
In December 2011 ASIC issued Regulatory Guide 230. In order to comply with this Guide, Virgin Australia Holdings Limited is required to make a clear statement about whether information disclosed in documents other than the Virgin Australia Holdings Limited Preliminary Final Report for the year ended 30 June 2017 has been audited or reviewed in accordance with Australian Auditing Standards.<br />
The above non-IFRS information has not been audited or reviewed by KPMG. This document has not been audited or reviewed by KPMG; however, IFRS data has been derived from the unaudited annual consolidated financial statements that are in the process of being audited by KPMG.</p>
<p><sup>1</sup>For disclaimers and definitions of non-statutory financial terms and other capitalised terms, refer to page 7. This document should be read in conjunction with the Group&rsquo;s ASX Appendix 4E and Preliminary Final Report for the financial year ended 30 June 2017 and the document entitled &lsquo;Presentation &ndash; FY17 Financial Results&rsquo;, which were released to the Australian Securities Exchange on 10 August 2017.</p>
<p><sup>2</sup>The return of the second E190 aircraft was completed in July 2017.</p>
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Wed, 09 Aug 2017 23:13:20 +0000Virgin Australia831 at http://newsroom.virginaustralia.comVirgin Australia the only Australian airline to offer inflight wi-fi on international flightshttp://newsroom.virginaustralia.com/release/virgin-australia-only-australian-airline-offer-inflight-wi-fi-international-flights
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<p>Virgin Australia today announced details of its plans to rollout inflight wireless internet to the majority of its domestic and international aircraft<sup>1</sup>, becoming the only Australian airline to offer wi-fi internationally.</p>
<p>Following the successful trial on a Boeing 737 (registration VH-YIG), the airline is now rolling out inflight wi-fi to its Boeing 737 aircraft, with Boeing 777 aircraft to commence in October. By the end of 2018, Virgin Australia expects to have inflight wi-fi on all Boeing 777 aircraft and the majority of Boeing 737 aircraft, with the Airbus A330 aircraft due for completion by the second half of 2019.</p>
<p>Virgin Australia Group CEO John Borghetti said: &ldquo;We want to provide the world&rsquo;s most rewarding travel experience and we know that enabling our guests to remain connected while flying is central to that.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Therefore we&rsquo;re pleased to announce our rollout plans for inflight wi-fi today, which will see more than 90 per cent of Virgin Australia&rsquo;s fleet fitted with this technology. Virgin Australia will offer a base level of free wi-fi to all of our guests on domestic flights and become the only Australian airline to offer wi-fi on international flights.</p>
<p>&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve chosen to partner with leading inflight connectivity provider Gogo, who deliver inflight wi-fi to airlines around the world including Delta Air Lines, Virgin Atlantic, and British Airways. Through our partnership with Gogo and Optus Satellite, we will have access to the largest fleet of satellites servicing Australia and New Zealand, providing our guests with a fast and reliable wi-fi experience on board,&rdquo; Mr Borghetti said.</p>
<p>Gogo President and CEO Michael Small said: &ldquo;We are delighted to work with Virgin Australia to bring the leading global in-flight connectivity solution to their passengers.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Gogo&rsquo;s 2Ku technology allows passengers to stay connected anywhere these aircraft fly &ndash; gate-to-gate &ndash; with an internet experience they&rsquo;re used to experiencing on the ground, including the ability to stream videos.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The three-month Boeing 737 aircraft trial saw 77 per cent&nbsp; of guests report a high level of satisfaction with the inflight wi-fi. The trial found the following insights on passengers&rsquo; wi-fi usage:</p>
<p> ✈ 49% checked email<br />
✈ 43% checked social media<br />
✈ 31% read the news<br />
✈ 27% sent text messages<br />
✈ 19% watched Netflix</p>
<p><strong>Additional Information:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>
Gogo&rsquo;s 2Ku technology uses a streamlined dual-antenna (one for forward link, one for return link) to deliver simultaneous transmissions. Gogo already successfully provides inflight connectivity for a number of airlines including Virgin Australia&rsquo;s alliance partner Delta Air Lines.</li>
<li>
Virgin Australia and Gogo will partner with Optus Satellite, the largest fleet of satellites servicing Australia and New Zealand, with five satellites currently in geostationary orbit to service domestic flights.</li>
<li>
Virgin Australia&rsquo;s inflight wi-fi service will be available alongside and integrated with Virgin Australia&rsquo;s existing popular wireless entertainment system.</li>
<li>
Virgin Australia currently has two wi-fi enabled aircraft, registration VH-YIG and VH-YIF.</li>
<li>
Virgin Australia will offer guests who travel on the wi-fi-enabled aircraft with three months&rsquo; access to Netflix and Stan until the end of 2017. Guests with existing accounts for those services will be given the opportunity to apply the offer to their Netflix and Stan accounts. Guests who do not have existing accounts for Netflix or Stan will have the opportunity to sign up to enjoy three months of access. Terms and conditions apply.</li>
</ul>
<p><sup>1</sup>The roll-out does not include Embraer E190s, ATRs and Virgin Australia Regional Airlines aircraft.<br />
<sup>2</sup>Source: Respondents to modified Guest Satisfaction Track deployed to guests on aircraft VH-YIG.</p>
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Wed, 09 Aug 2017 22:40:13 +0000Virgin Australia830 at http://newsroom.virginaustralia.comVirgin Australia's inaugural Perth to Canberra flight takes offhttp://newsroom.virginaustralia.com/release/virgin-australias-inaugural-perth-canberra-flight-takes
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<p>Virgin Australia will today launch its inaugural flight from Perth to Canberra as part of a new twice-weekly service connecting the two cities.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>VA590 is scheduled to depart Perth at 12:35pm today and land in Canberra at 6:25pm.</p>
<p>The service will cater for an increased demand for travel to and from the nation&rsquo;s capital for Parliamentary sitting weeks, whilst encouraging tourism in both cities.</p>
<p>Virgin Australia General Manager Network Management Hope Antzoulatos said: &ldquo;Virgin Australia is excited to expand our domestic network and increase our services in and out of Canberra and Perth.</p>
<p>&ldquo;This service will be particularly welcomed by West Australian parliamentarians and their staff who now have the opportunity to fly directly from Perth to Canberra during sitting weeks, as well as passengers wishing to travel between the two cities. The service will be operated by our advanced and modern fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft featuring 8 Business Class seats and a menu designed by resident chef Luke Mangan.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The introduction of this service is part of our commitment to bring greater competition to the industry and more choice to Australia travellers,&rdquo; Ms Antzoulatos said.</p>
<p>Canberra Airport Managing Director, Stephen Byron, said the new service would also be a boon for Canberra&rsquo;s business people who are operating nationally and internationally.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Canberra is also attracting increasing numbers of inbound tourists. In the past year, 208,000 international visitors visited the capital and the wider region, and spent $452 million.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Perth is not only a key national destination, but a gateway to Africa and beyond, and we expect the new service to become highly attractive to our region&rsquo;s population of around 1 million,&rdquo; Mr Byron said.</p>
<p>Velocity Gold and Platinum members as well as Virgin Australia Lounge members will have access to the airline&rsquo;s state-of-the-art lounges in both Canberra and Perth.</p>
<p>Virgin Australia was recently awarded Best Domestic Airline at the 2017 AFTA National Travel Industry Awards as well as Best Airline Australia/Pacific and Best Airline Staff Australia/Pacific at the 2017 Skytrax World Airline Awards.</p>
<p>All flights in 2017 are now available for sale at <a href="http://www.virginaustralia.com">www.virginaustralia.com</a>. Flights in 2018 will be available for sale once the 2018 Parliamentary sitting calendar is released.</p>
<p><strong>Virgin Australia Perth-Canberra 2017 Schedule</strong></p>
<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1">
<tr>
<td>
Route</td>
<td>
Flight Number</td>
<td>
Depart/Arrive</td>
<td>
Days of the week</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
PER-CBR</td>
<td>
VA590</td>
<td>
1235/1825</td>
<td>
Sun, Thurs</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
CBR-PER</td>
<td>
VA589</td>
<td>
1900/2140</td>
<td>
Sun, Thurs</td>
</tr>
</table>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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Sat, 05 Aug 2017 14:00:00 +0000Virgin Australia829 at http://newsroom.virginaustralia.comVirgin Australia announces streamlined Melbourne to Hong Kong schedulehttp://newsroom.virginaustralia.com/release/virgin-australia-announces-streamlined-melbourne-hong-kong-schedule
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<p>Virgin Australia today announced an updated flight schedule for Melbourne to Hong Kong flights, ensuring a consistent departure time for each flight.</p>
<p>From 30 October through to 24 March 2018 (the Northern Winter season), VA87 will depart Melbourne at 10.55am and arrive in Hong Kong at 5.35pm. Virgin Australia will continue to operate five return services per week. The return flight time of 7.50pm from Hong Kong remains unchanged.</p>
<p>Virgin Australia commenced operating flights to Hong Kong on 5 July, bringing strong competition to the route and reducing airfares by more than 30 per cent.</p>
<p>General Manager of Network Management, Hope Antzoulatos said: &ldquo;We are pleased to have been able to streamline our Melbourne to Hong Kong schedule so quickly after our inaugural flight.</p>
<p>&ldquo;We know a consistent departure time from both Melbourne and Hong Kong is important to our guests who are travelling for both leisure and business. We will continue to review our schedule beyond March 2018 and will update with any changes at a later date,&rdquo; Ms Antzoulatos said.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The new schedule will be on sale at <a href="http://www.virginaustralia.com">www.virginaustralia.com</a> shortly.</p>
<p>Virgin Australia operates Airbus A330-200 aircraft between Melbourne and Hong Kong, featuring &lsquo;The Business&rsquo; which was recently named best Business Class by AirlineRatings.com.</p>
<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1">
<tr>
<td>
Route</td>
<td>
Flight Number</td>
<td>
Depart/Arrive</td>
<td>
Days of the week</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
MEL-HKG</td>
<td>
VA87</td>
<td>
1055/1735</td>
<td>
Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Sat</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
HKG-MEL</td>
<td>
VA86</td>
<td>
1950/0815 (+1)</td>
<td>
Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Sat</td>
</tr>
</table>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
</div>
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Tue, 01 Aug 2017 02:01:35 +0000Virgin Australia828 at http://newsroom.virginaustralia.comVirgin Australia Increases Flights Between Adelaide, Alice Springs and Darwinhttp://newsroom.virginaustralia.com/release/virgin-australia-increases-flights-between-adelaide-alice-springs-and-darwin
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<p>Virgin Australia is today announcing additional flights between Adelaide, Alice Springs and Darwin as well as an update to the current flight schedule to better suit business travellers and expand the airline&rsquo;s presence in the region.</p>
<p>From 5 September 2017, Virgin Australia will add the following services:<br />
&bull; 1 extra service from Adelaide to Alice Springs to Darwin on Tuesday and Friday afternoons<br />
&bull; 1 extra service from Darwin to Alice Springs to Adelaide on Friday and Saturday mornings</p>
<p>In addition, from 5 September, Virgin Australia&rsquo;s Wednesday and Thursday flights from Alice Springs to Darwin will now depart at 5.00pm. Virgin Australia&rsquo;s new Friday afternoon service from Alice Springs to Darwin will depart at 5.00pm.</p>
<p>All of Virgin Australia&rsquo;s Darwin to Alice Springs services depart Darwin at 7.00am and arrive in Alice Springs at 9.00am.</p>
<p>General Manager of Network &amp; Revenue Management, Russell Shaw said: &ldquo;We&rsquo;re pleased to be offering additional flights to travellers between Adelaide, Alice Springs and Darwin.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The additional services will support local business and tourism growth as well as give travellers more flexibility with their flight options. The updated timings will also enable business travellers to spend full working days in Alice Springs on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.</p>
<p>&ldquo;With these new services, we will now operate a total of five return services per week between Adelaide, Alice Springs and Darwin,&rdquo; Mr Shaw said.</p>
<p>NT Airports CEO, Ian Kew said: &ldquo;We are delighted to see Virgin Australia increase their services and make innovative changes to their flight timings, which will benefit both business and leisure travellers flying to and from Alice Springs.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Tourism is a key driver of the economy in Alice Springs and this additional access will also improve international connectivity,&rdquo; Mr Kew said.</p>
<p>The additional services are on sale now at <a href="http://www.virginaustralia.com">www.virginaustralia.com</a>.</p>
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Tue, 11 Jul 2017 14:00:00 +0000Virgin Australia826 at http://newsroom.virginaustralia.com